Mesothelioma Treatment

How Different Mesothelioma Treatments Work

April 5, 2022 | Throneberry Law Group

Although there is still no known cure for mesothelioma, treatment options are available to mesothelioma patients. Sometimes, it is even possible to remove all the cancer. But, often, mesothelioma treatment aims to remove as much cancer as possible and slow cancer growth. In this article, we look at how different mesothelioma treatments work.

Surgery

According to Mayo Clinic, it is possible for surgeons to remove mesothelioma when it is diagnosed at an early stage. But it is not possible to remove all the cancer through surgery in most cases. In cases in which it is impossible to remove all the cancer, surgery is used to reduce the mesothelioma spreading in the body. Often, the goal of surgery is to reduce symptoms and suffering.

Nationwide Mesothelioma Registry

February 26, 2022 | Throneberry Law Group

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer usually caused by asbestos exposure. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is an aggressive and deadly disease; currently, there is no cure for it. Recently, a bipartisan bill was sponsored to create a nationwide mesothelioma registry aimed at tracking mesothelioma cases in the U.S. to improve treatment and care. This bill would establish a national patient registry for mesothelioma at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). A mesothelioma registry would give patients and researchers access to crucial data with the goal of improving treatment and care. If the bill passes, the U.S. will join other countries, like Australia, that already have mesothelioma registries.

The Existing Cancer Database Has Shortcomings

Currently, there is a cancer registry in the U.S. However, this registry has several shortcomings. First, it takes too long for data to join the United States Cancer Statistics database. Before data enters the database, it has to go through a process that can take months or even years. Unfortunately, some mesothelioma patients do not have months or years to make critical treatment decisions. So, this means that a patient or doctor could end up making decisions using outdated information or not finding the database helpful.

Mesothelioma Clinical Trials

February 5, 2022 | Throneberry Law Group

Mesothelioma specialists are working tirelessly to create new mesothelioma treatments. Specialists are working hard to develop new ways to prevent and detect mesothelioma. Currently, there are several treatment options available for mesothelioma that have already been tested in clinical trials and approved. A good number of prevention and detection methods for mesothelioma have also been tested in clinical trials and approved. Usually, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires that a treatment option, prevention method, or detection method undergo three or four trial phases before it grants approval. This is because clinical trials are crucial in identifying effective and safe treatments, prevention methods, and detection methods. Current treatment options, detection methods, and prevention methods are the result of successful past clinical trials.

What are Mesothelioma Clinical Trials?

Generally, mesothelioma clinical trials include:

Managing Mesothelioma Symptoms

January 15, 2022 | Throneberry Law Group

According to Mayo Clinic, mesothelioma is a form of cancer that occurs in the mesothelium. Mesothelioma is a fatal form of cancer, and there is still no cure for it. However, treatment options are available. Often, mesothelioma is diagnosed at an advanced stage, and the main aim of treatment is to manage symptoms and keep them under control. This is known as palliative treatment. There are several ways patients can manage mesothelioma symptoms.

Below is a look at some of the most common ways of managing mesothelioma symptoms.

Disclaimer: The following is not medical advice. For medical advice, please speak to your doctor.

Can You Get Treated for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma if You Do Not Qualify for Surgery?

January 6, 2022 | Throneberry Law Group

In a mesothelioma case, surgery is meant to remove cancer from the body. Mesothelioma surgery is intended to help an individual feel better and live longer. Surgery combined with chemotherapy, and, sometimes, radiation, is considered the best mesothelioma treatment.

Not All Mesothelioma Patients are Eligible for Surgery

Before a doctor can perform surgery on a mesothelioma patient, they must assess the patient to determine if they are qualified to undergo surgical treatment. Some pleural mesothelioma patients do not qualify for surgery, but most do. Most of those who are eligible to undergo surgical procedures usually undergo procedures aimed at improving symptoms and quality of life.

Getting a Second Opinion on a Mesothelioma Diagnosis

November 29, 2021 | Throneberry Law Group

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused by inhaled asbestos fibers. It is estimated that around 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are diagnosed every year. Usually, mesothelioma develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the internal organs. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is an aggressive and fatal cancer. Because of mesothelioma’s aggressive and deadly nature, early detection and treatment are quite important.

However, before beginning treatment after a mesothelioma diagnosis, getting a second opinion is important. Even though most patients begin treatment immediately after a first diagnosis, experts advise people to get a second opinion before starting treatment. It is also vital to get a second opinion if one goes to the doctor believing they have mesothelioma, only to be told they have another illness. Receiving a second opinion on a diagnosis, can among other things, help an individual;

Eliminate the possibility of a misdiagnosis,

Active Stress Management Techniques for Mesothelioma Patients

November 28, 2021 | Throneberry Law Group

Dealing with mesothelioma can be extremely difficult. Sadly, many mesothelioma patients suffer from stress. Unfortunately, stress can negatively affect a person’s physical and mental well-being. Among other things, stress can:

Cause mental health issues
Increase the risk of stroke

Could Artificial Intelligence Help in the Fight Against Mesothelioma?

April 26, 2021 | Throneberry Law Group

British researchers recently published findings in genomics studies which used artificial intelligence to help study mesothelioma, a rare and deadly form of cancer caused by exposure to carcinogenic asbestos fibers. The hope of the findings is that the research and analysis could help improve patient outcomes and improve the prognosis for those who are diagnosed with the as of right now incurable disease, and potentially help find answers to a cure for mesothelioma.

The research undertaken by the University of Leicester Mesothelioma Research Programme reveals that, using AI analysis of DNA-sequenced cancer cells, the disease evolves along similar and repeated paths between individuals. Those paths predict the overall aggressiveness and could show possible individualized therapies which could be applied to help fight the disease.

Professor Dean Fennell, Chair of Thoracic Medical Oncology at the University of Leicester and Director of the Leicester Mesothelioma Research Programme, said “It has long been appreciated that asbestos causes mesothelioma, however, how this occurs remains a mystery. Using AI to interrogate genomic ‘big data’, this initial work shows us that mesotheliomas follow ordered paths of mutations during development and that these so-called trajectories predict not only how long a patient may survive, but also how to better treat cancer – something Leicester aims to lead on internationally through clinical trial initiatives.”

Norwegian biotech company’s immunotherapy drug shows promise for mesothelioma patients who undergo chemotherapy

March 27, 2021 | Throneberry Law Group

A Norwegian biotechnology company recently announced that the 21-month followup data from its clinical stage immunotherapy trials revealed promising results for mesothelioma patients who are also undergoing chemotherapy to treat their rare and deadly form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. The results of the study show that at least half of the patients who took the company’s immuno-oncology drug while undergoing chemotherapy are still alive, compared to an average survival rate of just over a year for those who did not.

Targovax ASA’s phase I/II trial of its ONCOS-102 aims to assess the safety, immune activation and clinical efficacy of the drug taken in combination with a patient’s chemotherapy regimen compared to those who underwent the standard chemotherapy only. The study examined 31patients in total, with 20 receiving the ONCOS-102 immunotherapy drug which targets hard to kill mesothelioma tumor cells. “It is most encouraging that survival continues to track so well in the ONCOS-102-treated first line group,” said Targovax’s chief medical officer . “We have earlier seen and reported how ONCOS-102 drives profound remodeling of the tumor microenvironment. It is now becoming clear that this is translating into long-term survival benefit.”

Mesothelioma has a latency period of anywhere from 20 to 50 years, which means decades can pass after exposure to asbestos before doctors are able to make a diagnosis, leaving many patients with diminished treatment options. Oftentimes, surgery is not an option to kill mesothelioma tumors, and patients are left with only chemotherapy as an option, which can take a toll on the individual’s overall health.

National Cancer Institute grants $2.5 million to study biological markers of mesothelioma

March 20, 2021 | Throneberry Law Group

The National Cancer Institute recently awarded a $2.5 million grant to a Baylor University medical professor to develop clinical tests that would enable doctors to determine the likelihood of a patient responding to immunotherapy regimens before the patient receives the treatment, which would save certain patients from immune-related adverse events. In recent years, immunotherapy has become a viable treatment to prolong the lives of patients with mesothelioma, but about half of those patients experience adverse events and the research being conducted could potentially identify those likely to have bad outcomes.

Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, which was once commonly used in a variety of industrial, commercial, and military applications as an insulation and fire-retardant material. The disease commonly affects the thin linings of tissue surrounding the lungs and heart, but can also affect the tissues surrounding the abdominal cavity before spreading to other parts of the body.

Because mesothelioma has a latency period of anywhere from 20 to 50 years, patients are often left with diminished treatment options by the time the cancer is detected by a physician. As a result, surgery to remove tumors is not an option and patients must turn to radiation treatments to fight the disease, which can harm tissues surrounding the mesothelioma tumors. However, researchers continue to make progress on immunotherapies, which teach the body to use its own disease fighting mechanisms against mesothelioma tumors.